·It
is a pride to say that Karnataka stands first in export of
flower crops and gherkins. Flowers worth Rs. 50.00crores and
gherkins worth Rs. 300.00 crores is being exported from
Karnataka.

·The
total value of various horticultural crops is Rs. 20,000.00
crores.

v Achievements under
National Horticulture Mission (NHM) Scheme:

·National Horticulture Mission is a
programme formulated for the overall development of Horticulture
sector in the country. It has holistic end-to-end approach
covering all aspects of production, post harvest technology and
marketing, nutrition management and to increase the income level
of the farming community.

·During
the current financial year 2010-11 our State has been able to
obtain major portion of the funds (second highest) from the
central government.

·During
2011-12, Rs. 129.50crores subsidy has been distributed to the
farmers. Various developmental activities have been taken up
under NHM for the overall development of Horticulture in all the
districts of the State.

·Area
Expansion of various horticultural crops like fruits, flower,
spice, medicinal and aromatic and plantation crops has been
covered in an area of 20,512 hectares, Organic farming in an
area of 15,793 hectares, Post Harveast Unit - 626 nos, Krishi
Honda - 533 nos, is being provided with subsidy.

·With
the objective of giving subsidy directly to the farmers
Electronic Clearance System (ECS) has been introduced.

v Achievements under Micro
Irrigation Scheme:

·Micro
Irrigation Scheme is implemented with the objective of better
utilization of available water. During 2011-12, an amount of Rs.
124.43 Crores subsidy has been given to the beneficiaries for
the installation of Drip Irrigation in area of 43,783 hectares.
At present, 75% subsidy is given to encourage installation of
drip irrigation in horticulture crops in all the districts of
the State.

·Micro
irrigation Monitoring System has been developed for submitting
the online applications. This enables to maintain transparency
in seniority list and quick clearance of drip applications.

·With
the objective of giving subsidy directly to the farmers
Electronic Clearance System (ECS) has been introduced.

·The
primary objective of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment
Guarantee scheme is to enhance livelihood security in rural
areas by providing at least 100 days of guaranteed wage
employment. An amount of Rs.22.58 crores has been spent under
this scheme during 2011-12.

·In
last 3 years, area Expansion of perennial Horticulture crops has
been covered in an area of 38,564 hectares. In addition to this
various other horticulture related programmes like pit opening,
tree planting programmes in the premises of schools /hospitals /
other government land, farms and nurseries related activities
and trenching work in drip irrigation has been implemented.

·Under
this scheme, approximately 1,01,93,335 mandays employment has
been generated in 2011-12.

v Establishment of
University of Horticultural Sciences in Bagalkote:

·University
of Horticultural Sciences, Bagalkote has been established with
the main objective of advanced research in Horticulture,
education and extension activities for the welfare of farmers
and people as a whole.

·New
Horticultural Colleges have been established in Bidar, Bagalkote,
Kolar, Mysore, Sirsi, Hiriyur and Koppal districts. Students
have been enrolled for taking up education in Horticulture
curriculum. It may be noted that meritorious students are more
interested to take up studies in these colleges. During 2011-12,
an amount of Rs. 57.30 Crores have been allotted for the
infrastructure development and Research, out of which Rs. 57.30
crores has been achieved.

v Achievements under
Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojane:

·Under
Centrally sponsored Rastriya Krishi Vikas Yojane, programmes are
being implemented to reorient agriculture development strategies
for rejuvenation of agriculture and to meet the needs/demands of
farmers. Following programmes are being taken up under scheme:

·New
Flower Auction centers are being established in Udupi, Belgaum
and Sirsi districts.

·Mango
resource center is established at Hogalagere, Kolar district and
chikkaballapur district to aid in increasing the production of
mango.

·Bio-centers
are being established at Shimoga and Bidar Districts.
Encouragement is being given for increasing tissue culture plant
production. In the previous years we were dependent on the
neighboring states for tissue culture plants. With the
establishment of new bio-centers we are destined to become
independent in the production of tissue culture plant and our
Government is giving full encouragement to develop these
centers.

·Production
of quality horticultural planting materials is being taken up in
the farms and nurseries of all the districts.

·During
2011-12, Rs.115.93 crores has been allotted out of which
Rs.114.81 crores have been achieved

vAs a new initiative, Horti
Clinics (Horticulture Information & Consultancy Centers)
have been established during 2010-11, to help the farmers and
entrepreneurs in seeking full information of horticulture
developments & boost the growing horticulture industry using all
resource persons under one roof and linking to the relevant
organizations. 28 Horti clinics at district level and 1 at
directorate level are being established to disseminate
Horticulture information and provide services. During 2011-12,
Rs.3.00 crores has been allotted out of which Rs.2.99 crores
have been achieved

vNational Medicinal Plant
Mission: It has been started with the
objective to integrate medicinal plants in agricultural systems
by providing encouragement for its cultivation, improvement in
quality of Ayush system of medicine, its integrity,
effectiveness and security. This in turn is destined to improve
the variety in medicinal crops and thereby assist the farmers to
gain a stable income. In this scheme, during 2011-12 Rs.0.85
crores has been distributed to the beneficiaries.

vMechanization in Horticulture:
Mechanization in Horticulture is
encouraged since 2007-08 with the intention to reduce the cost
of cultivation of horticultural crops, to reduce the manpower
requirement and to encourage farmers for high value horticulture
production through farm mechanization at all stages of
production and post harvest operations. A new scheme - Areca
Dehusking Machine is being implemented wherein areca growers are
given a subsidy to an extent of 50% subsidy limited to a maximum
limit of Rs. 1.00 lakhs. The main aim of this scheme is to
encourage the areca growers in areca cultivation, post harvest
management and improve production of quality arecanuts. In
2011-12, Rs.2.00 crores subsidy has been distributed to over 459
beneficiaries for the purchase of various horticultural
equipments.

vWith an aim to provide quality
services to the consumers, to supply fresh quality fruits and
vegetables and to prevent flaws in weighing, Spot Billing
Machines have been installed in HOPCOMS. During 2011-12, 17 new
Retail Outlets, 2 fruit ripening chambers, modernization of 93
outlets, 22 new outlets and 4 modern outlets have been
established.

v During 2011-12, Rs.0.50 crores has been allocated
to the Areca Research Station at Chikamagalur for further
continuation of Research on yellow leaf diseases.

vKarnataka Horticulture
Development Agency has been
established as a Special Purpose Vehicle under Societies
Registration Act 1960 for the overall development of
Departmental farms and nurseries keeping in mind the persistent
demands and requirements of farmers. There are 410 Horticulture
Farms and Nurseries in the Department of Horticulture. One of
the main strategies of the agency in development of these farms
and nurseries is to establish Public Private Partnerships (PPP)
through joint ventures by inviting investments from private
entrepreneurs for better utilization of the land resources
available in these farms, thereby improving the yield and income
from these farms.

vThe following new schemes/
programmes are implemented during 2011-12.

·During
2011-12 5 new gardens viz., Chikaballapur, Sirsi, Tumkur,
Kannamangala & Mysore are being established on the line of
Lalbagh Botanical Garden with an allocation of Rs.8.00 crores.

·A
programme is being proposed with an allocation of Rs.25.00crores
to improve Coconut crop productivity with assistance of farmers
(50%). During 2011-12 Rs.1.91crores has been incurred.

·In
Karnataka, Arecanut Crop is being grown in an area of 2.13 lakh
hectares. Presently in an area of 10400 hectares is being
affected with yellow leaf diseases. In order to control this
disease Rs.2.00crores has been distributed for the rejuvenation
of Arecanut affected with yellow leaf disease.

·In
Karnataka, Floriculture Industry has grown up and the demand for
different flower crops is being increased in an International
Level. In order to develop Floriculture a programme of Rs.6.00
crores is released for providing assistance to International
Flower Auction Centre and to replace polythene sheet and
replantation.

·Suvarna
Bhoomi Yojane scheme is being implementing to help the farmers
to go in for high value crops so as to improve their earning
capacity. An amount of Rs. 158.44 crores has been distributed to
over 2,31,458 beneficiaries.